


Love me or leave me

by dahyunayeon



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Slight mentions of blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26846755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dahyunayeon/pseuds/dahyunayeon
Summary: Jeongyeon and Tzuyu accidentally meet in the forest that connects their villages, unaware that they're supposed to hate each other.
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Yoo Jeongyeon
Comments: 5
Kudos: 56





	Love me or leave me

**Author's Note:**

> commissioned by @jannietimmie on twt, thank u i love u <3

In the southern forest, Tzuyu takes slow steps on top of a fallen trunk; using it as a bridge to cross over a small stream of water, unbothered by the cracking noises the wood makes beneath her. When she reaches the other side she skips, landing with both feet steady on the ground. 

However, the peace she feels gets disrupted when her friend shrieks behind her. Dahyun had insisted she wanted to go with Tzuyu on her little getaway walking through the woods, even though Tzuyu warned her that it wasn’t an easy path. 

“Please help me,” Dahyun stretches her hand, taking the smallest steps on shaky legs. 

Tzuyu chuckles and steps back on the trunk to hold Dahyun’s hand. “Open your eyes, silly, or you’ll slip.”

The farther they go, the drier the land becomes and the colder the air. These walks usually relax Tzuyu, but she’s gone farther than she intended and now she doesn’t quite know where they are, so she starts to worry. She tries to not let it show, though— Dahyun is nervous enough as it is, if the tight grip she has on Tzuyu’s arm is anything to go by. 

Tzuyu is about to tell Dahyun they should head back when they hear steps and the shuffling of dry leaves to their right. They both freeze on their spots, holding onto each other as their hearts beat loudly. 

“It’s over Tzu, we’re getting eaten.” Dahyun whines, hiding behind Tzuyu’s shoulder.

But no wild animal shows up, instead, two women make their way through the trees. One of them is tall and has short blonde hair, and she’s holding an axe on one hand. The other one is significantly shorter, with short brown hair, and is carrying pieces of firewood in her arms. 

The blonde woman stops walking to look at them and the short girl runs into her, almost dropping the pieces of wood. Tzuyu gapes, struck by the woman’s beauty. The stranger has a slight frown on her face, wary of these people she doesn’t know. 

“Are you lost?” She asks softly, as if she was talking to children. The fear must be evident in Tzuyu and Dahyun’s faces. 

Dahyun nods while Tzuyu shakes her head. The woman tilts her head, confused. “No, yeah, we’re fine,” Tzuyu laughs awkwardly, avoiding the woman’s gaze.

“You shouldn’t be around here alone, it’s dangerous.”

“Well, it’s two of us, and there’s two of you. I’d say it’s the same thing.” Tzuyu tries to argue.

“Difference is, I have an axe.”

“And I have a knife,” The other girl adds, balancing the firewood in one arm to show a small switchblade. 

Dahyun tugs at Tzuyu’s arm trying to get her to move, but Tzuyu doesn’t budge, too busy holding a staring contest with the blonde woman. “Come on, I’d like to be back home before curfew and before the wolves come out.”

“The wolves are there whether there’s curfew or not, silly.” The short girl says with a grin. Dahyun puts her hands on her hips and glares at her, trying and failing to come up with a witty response. 

“Well, nobody asked you.”

“We have work to do,” The blonde woman says with finality, cutting into the childish banter. Her eyes hold a certain intensity which makes Tzuyu feel weak at the knees. “Be careful.”

“Beware the wolves,” The short woman waves at Dahyun, smirking when Dahyun rolls her eyes. 

Just like they arrived, the women leave quickly, disappearing through the trees to the left without leaving a single trace behind them. 

“Why did you tell her that? We don’t know where the hell we are.” 

“Let’s just go back the same path…”

They reach the outskirts of the village just as the last rays of sunshine slip past the mountains surrounding them. Unlike the calm of the forest, the atmosphere in town is thick with tension. The few people walking on the streets seem to shrink into themselves, avoiding eye contact with other passers by. 

In the past weeks, conflicts with the northern village had grown and everyone was on edge, the possibility of war looming over their heads. Tzuyu tried to keep a positive attitude and go about her life as if nothing was wrong, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t worry. Her walks on the mountains usually helped with clearing her head, but any calm she managed to get always got disrupted the minute she was back at the village.

Dahyun walks Tzuyu home— a small shack in between two taverns —and they hug goodbye. Dahyun hugs her a bit tighter every passing day. 

As Tzuyu lays down, getting ready to sleep, she thinks about the women from the mountain. On the blonde one, particularly. She was stunning, and Tzuyu is racking her brain trying to remember if she’s ever seen her before, given how little the village population is. She surely wouldn’t forget a face like hers.

**━**

Tzuyu goes alone to her next hike. While she always values Dahyun’s presence, sometimes she wants to enjoy her time alone without talking to anyone.

Winter being right around the corner means the sun sets earlier, the weather gets colder, and the curfew is earlier in the night. Tzuyu leaves her home with the intention of going for a short walk, maybe just to get to the river next to the village and then head back, but she finds herself walking the same path from her last trip. Being completely honest, yes, she hopes she can meet that girl again. But the rational part of her knows the chances of that happening are very slim. Still, it doesn’t deter her for wanting to try.

Tzuyu is crouching on the ground, petting a rabbit that hopped by, when the crunch of dry leaves lets her know someone is approaching. It feels almost comical, to see the blonde woman standing in front of her. 

Tzuyu lets the rabbit hop away and smiles up at her. Despite her cold demeanour, the woman cracks a smile. 

“What a tiny forest this is,” Tzuyu says, although she regrets it right away and her cheeks tint pink from embarrassment. 

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were looking for me.” The woman says cheekily, hands resting on her hips.

“Don’t flatter yourself…” Tzuyu takes a quick look at her— she’s wearing a big belt, boots, and a wool sweater. Her clothing is definitely warmer than Tzuyu’s, which is a simple thin jumper and slacks. “Did your friend bail on you?”

“She’s my sister, actually. And yeah, she left me to do all the work today. I’m Jeongyeon, by the way.” She outstretches a hand and Tzuyu shakes it. She feels cold and the skin of her hand is a bit rough, probably from the lumberwork.

“I’m Tzuyu.”

“Tzuyu,” Jeongyeon repeats, smiling as she says it and making Tzuyu smile as well. “do you want to walk with me?”

They walk towards the west, chasing the sun before it sets. They make small talk, asking the basic questions like “what do you do for a living” and “do you like women” (the last one Tzuyu doesn’t actually dare ask out loud). Tzuyu makes Jeongyeon laugh loudly, while Tzuyu chuckles politely at Jeongyeon’s attempts at joking. Every now and then, they both tilt their heads in confusion when the other mentions something they don’t know. Like when Tzuyu mentions working at an inn near the main church, and Jeongyeon tells her the church is surrounded by the market. 

All of these little things that don’t make sense should let them know something’s not right, but they are hard to put together, so Tzuyu overlooks them for now.

They end up standing before a river, watching as the sun sets in the horizon. 

“I wonder why we haven’t met before,” Jeongyeon sighs, turning her head to look at Tzuyu with a big grin. “I’m glad we met now, though. It’s nice being around you.”

Tzuyu blushes and presses her lips together, trying to stop smiling like an idiot. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and shifts nervously on her feet.

“I like being with you, too.”

In the distance, they can hear a horn blowing, signaling that it’s curfew and everyone should be returning home for their safety. However, two different horns overlap, creating a weird sound. 

“Huh, we got a bit too close to the south I guess,” Jeongyeon comments offhandedly, looking towards the southern village with a frown. “We should get going. Come on, I can walk you home.”

Jeongyeon starts walking towards the north, fully expecting Tzuyu to follow her. But when the girl stays quiet, standing still in place, Jeongyeon turns around, confused. “Tzuyu?”

“What do you mean too close to the south?” Tzuyu asks slowly, paying extra attention to Jeongyeon’s reactions. “We  _ live  _ in the south…”

Confusion is quickly overtaken by anger in Jeongyeon’s face. All the pieces from before seem to fall together, reality hitting Jeongyeon like a bucket of cold water. 

“You’re from the south?” She asks with a scoff, taking slow steps away from Tzuyu. “Is this some sort of trap?” She pulls out her switchblade from her pocket, looking around in search for any stranger that might try to attack her. 

“Why didn’t you say—” Tzuyu holds herself, suddenly feeling very cold. They’re left in the darkness, only the faint moonlight letting Tzuyu see Jeongyeon’s face, full of disgust. “I didn’t know—”

“Please get away from me,” Jeongyeon laughs dryly, not a single drop of humor in it. “After everything your people have done I feel sick just by being in front of you.” Jeongyeon spits, her words laced with venom. 

Tzuyu scoffs and rolls her eyes, starting to get defensive. “Excuse me? Don’t act like you’re all innocent. You know damn well who started the mess this time.”

“Yeah, you did, and also started the  _ mess  _ the last, what, eight times?”

“You’re such a hypocrite.”

The horns get louder, which means that’s the last call before guards start going around the frontier. Tzuyu and Jeongyeon’s eyes meet with intensity, the tension high between them. Jeongyeon looks like she wants to say something else, but in the end she just scoffs and turns around, leaving Tzuyu alone in the middle of the forest. 

A single angry tear falls down Tzuyu’s cheek, but she wipes it with the back of her hand quickly.

**━**

Two weeks pass by and Tzuyu doesn’t leave the village. She has her afternoon walks around town, strolling in the market and feeding the stray dogs that always wait for her outside the inn. 

Dahyun notices something is up, though. She can’t figure out what it is and Tzuyu tries to convince her that nothing is wrong. But Dahyun knows her, and she can tell her friend is hiding something. 

Tzuyu spends her days avoiding Dahyun’s questions and the intrusive thoughts of Jeongyeon. 

Everything had gone terribly that day. Jeongyeon made Tzuyu truly mad, which is something that hardly ever happens, and she hurt her with her words. But before they knew the truth, being with Jeongyeon was  _ nice _ . There was no denying they connected quickly. But that girl is her enemy, or at least she’s supposed to be. The last thing Tzuyu should be doing is thinking about how nice her laugh is or how soft her hair looks.

It takes one more week for Dahyun to convince Tzuyu to go on a walk again. She knows the tranquility of the forest always cheers Tzuyu up, and lately, Tzuyu really looks like she could use some extra happiness. Dahyun is still intent on finding out what happened, because Tzuyu never missed an opportunity to go to the forest, not even on gray days where it drizzled. 

Dahyun promises not to ask any questions related, and she bugs Tzuyu so much that she agrees just to be left alone. 

They stay near the village this time. Tzuyu tells some excuse about being tired and not wanting to walk much, and although Dahyun doesn’t quite believe her, she has to keep her promise.

Tzuyu snorts when she sees Dahyun is carrying a small kitchen knife tucked under her belt, wrapped around a cloth napkin to avoid getting cut.

“There are many wild animals out there, Tzuyu. When I save us you will thank me.”

“I think a fox’s tooth is bigger than your knife.”

“I don’t see  _ you  _ having a better weapon.” Dahyun replies annoyed, side eyeing Tzuyu.

Tzuyu has to admit, their small getaway does cheer her up. Maybe it’s Dahyun’s silly jokes, or the fresh air, or the cute animals that scare Dahyun, but her mood gets better in a second. 

Too bad it goes down just as fast. 

Tzuyu sees two people walking towards them, their faces hidden by the cloaks they’re wearing. One of them is visibly limping, hanging onto the other’s shoulder. As they get closer, they can hear the person wailing. And Tzuyu, damn her good heart, immediately goes to help. Dahyun, however, takes out her knife before following her friend. 

“Hey! What happened? Are you ok?” Tzuyu asks as she runs towards them. However, as she reaches out to hold the injured person, her cloak falls from her head, revealing her face. Tzuyu is shocked in place.

Jeongyeon looks pale and on the verge of fainting, barely held up by her sister. Despite the surprise and her moral compass going crazy; against all judgment, Tzuyu still reaches out to hold Jeongyeon's other arm and pull her up. 

Tzuyu knows what she’s doing is crazy. Suicidal, even, according to Dahyun. 

Jeongyeon protests that she does not want or need Tzuyu’s help, but her sister, Chaeyoung, insults her  _ slightly _ and basically tells her to stop being an ass. 

They take Jeongyeon to Tzuyu’s house, walking through alleyways and less-transited streets to avoid being seen. 

Jeongyeon is barely keeping her eyes open by the time they make it to her kitchen, where they lay her down on the table. Chaeyoung removes Jeongyeon’s thick coat and boots, Tzuyu searches for anything to be used for first aid, and Dahyun closes all the windows and secures the door.

There’s a big cut on Jeongyeon’s ribs, making her bleed on the table. Her left leg is bruised and drops of blood leak out of her injured skin. Jeongyeon has her arm thrown over her eyes and her bottom lip keeps trembling. Hot tears fall down her face, but she tries to keep it together.

“What the hell happened?” Tzuyu chokes out as she wets a cloth in warm water before carefully cleaning the wound on Jeongyeon’s rib. The woman flinches and sends Tzuyu a glare, but the fire in Chaeyoung’s eyes makes her bite her tongue and let Tzuyu continue.

“Our village got fucking raided, that’s what happened.” Jeongyeon breathes out shakily. 

“We live very close to the frontier, so they got us first. Jeongyeon tried to stop them but they almost stabbed her, and a dog bit her leg really hard. They didn’t kill her for some reason, but they continued to raid the rest of the houses. I picked her up and started running, not really caring where as long as it was away from them.” Chaeyoung explains trying to hold back tears.

“And yet you got us right into one of their houses…” Jeongyeon sighs.

“O-our people did this?” Tzuyu asks in disbelief, stopping her ministrations for a moment before rinsing the cloth and cleaning again, putting pressure on the wound.

“Yes, fuck, who else?” Jeongyeon says annoyed. 

They don’t say anything else for a while. Tzuyu moves to tend to Jeongyeon’s leg while Chaeyoung wraps a bandage around Jeongyeon’s torso. Dahyun stays out of the kitchen, too grossed out by all the blood. When they’re done, Jeongyeon is passed out (but breathing; Chaeyoung checks many times). They manage to get her to lay down on a couch in front of the fireplace, which Chaeyoung lights up.

They hear a lot of noise coming from outside. Tzuyu peeks out of the window and sees not only the villagers running around in chaos, but also carts with guards yelling at everyone to go home. 

“We’re in lockdown, it seems.” Dahyun whispers, looking out of the window as well. 

Chaeyoung slumps back against a wall and slides down until she’s sitting on the floor, hiding her face in her knees. Dahyun quickly goes to the kitchen and gets her a glass of water, even going as far as kneeling next to her and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. So much for thinking they were murderers.

“I’m so sorry about all of this, I promise we’ll leave as soon as it’s possible, just please don’t kick us out.” Chaeyoung is very distressed, hands shaking as she brings the glass to her lips.

“Of course we won’t kick you out,” Tzuyu assures her quietly, also joining her on the floor but keeping her distance. “You can stay here for as long as necessary. I don’t think it will be safe to leave for a while.”

“God, she’s gonna hate me.” They all turn to look at Jeongyeon, who seems calm now that she’s asleep, but they know it won’t be like that once she wakes up. 

The first thing Jeongyeon notices when she opens her eyes is that everything feels sore and stiff. She has a headache that feels like it’s trying to split her head in two, so she squints while trying to figure out where she is. Her chest feels tight as she gets up on her elbows, and when she looks down she sees she’s covered in bandages— only bandages —with a thick quilt over her to keep her warm.

She tries to call for Chaeyoung, fear rising in her chest when she doesn’t see her around, but her throat is too dry and her voice comes out weak and rough. 

“Good, you’re up.” 

Tzuyu’s voice startles Jeongyeon. She emerges from the shadows of the room into the area lit by the fireplace. Jeongyeon notices she has a bowl of soup in her hands as she gets closer, kneeling next to the couch where Jeongyeon lays. 

“It got a bit cold, but I can reheat it for you.”

“I’m not gonna eat anything you made.” Jeongyeon rasps out, rolling her eyes and turning her back on Tzuyu. Tzuyu doesn’t take it to heart, though, instead she chuckles and pokes Jeongyeon’s shoulder to make her turn around. 

“Chaeyoung said you might behave this way. Look,” Jeongyeon begrudgingly twists her neck to look at the girl. Tzuyu takes a spoonful of soup and eats it, humming at the end. “See, not poisoned. I promise.”

Still acting reluctant, Jeongyeon sits up— making sure to cover herself with the quilt, both from the cold and from Tzuyu’s curious eyes —and she accepts the bowl. She starts feeling better with each spoonful, the color returning to her face and the heat returning to her body.

“Where’s my sister?”

“Asleep in the next room. She was pretty shaken up.” 

Tzuyu rests her back against the side of the fireplace, giving Jeongyeon the distance she clearly wants. 

“Well, tell her to wake up, because we’re leaving.” Tzuyu sucks her teeth and Jeongyeon quirks an eyebrow. “What, are we prisoners now?”

“Not exactly but… you kind of can’t leave the village without getting caught by the guards.” 

Jeongyeon grunts. “Great, so my village gets invaded and now I have to stay with the enemy? What the fuck did I do to deserve this.”

“Stop being so dramatic.” Tzuyu rolls her eyes, entertained with Jeongyeon’s whining even though the girl seems to be completely serious. “It’s not like I’ve done something to you.”

“Maybe not you, but your people have. Your village decided to steal our crops and we struggled for many seasons to eat. They’re also the reason my dad had to leave us to go defend our land. Do you have any idea the kind of  _ hell  _ that was raising Chaeyoung when she was a teen? She’s a brat!”

“Well don’t act like you’re all innocent. If we had to take crops from you it’s because you started killing our animals! What kind of sick person poisons a cow’s drinking water?”

“We did not do such a thing!”

“Yes you did!”

They stare at each other, squinting in the dark, trying to hold the glares for longer than the other. In the end, Jeongyeon huffs and downs the rest of her soup. “Whatever, I’ll be gone soon and I’ll never have to see you again.”

“Good, I can’t wait.”

“Me either.”

“Okay.”

Tzuyu stands up and sticks her tongue out at Jeongyeon before walking down the dark hallway, leaving Jeongyeon alone. She scoffs and shakes her head, shifting around on the couch. “Really mature…”

Tzuyu’s house it’s definitely not big enough for four people. Dahyun stays with them despite Tzuyu hinting at her that they’re pretty tight as it is, but Dahyun objects that she’s there to help and that she doesn’t want to leave Tzuyu alone with two potential threats. Tzuyu knows, though, she’s there for two reasons. One being that she doesn’t want to be alone at her own house, and two—

“Chaeyoung! Come look at what I embroidered just now.”

Tzuyu can only sigh and let her friend have some fun. 

Jeongyeon healed quickly, and by the third day she was already up on her feet looking for ways to distract herself around the house. Which often ended with her annoying Tzuyu one way or another. 

If Tzuyu was cooking, Jeongyeon would come into the kitchen and steal some of the vegetables she was chopping. Tzuyu would close her eyes, count to ten, and tell her to wait until lunch was ready, but Jeongyeon would leave the kitchen, munching on the food and making fun of Tzuyu. 

It goes on like this for a while: Jeongyeon doesn’t miss an opportunity to bicker with Tzuyu, and Tzuyu thinks of kicking Jeongyeon out and keeping Chaeyoung. 

But one night, after a week or so of being stuck together, Jeongyeon walks into the kitchen as Tzuyu is washing the dishes. 

“Please don’t start messing with me.” Tzuyu tells her right as she crosses the threshold. Jeongyeon chuckles and stands next to her. She grabs the dishcloth and waits for Tzuyu to start rinsing the dishes. 

“I’m here to help…” She admits quietly. 

It’s just them in the room, illuminated by some candles scattered around the kitchen. Dahyun and Chaeyoung disappeared some time after dinner, and Tzuyu doesn’t really want to go looking for them. 

Jeongyeon looks healthier each day, and right now, Tzuyu can’t stop herself from staring at her side profile. Her skin looks soft, especially her cheeks, and her eyes have a sort of tender glint in them— when she’s not calling Tzuyu her enemy. Their fingers brush together when Tzuyu hands Jeongyeon the dishes, and it makes both of them flinch.

“I know I haven’t shown it, but I’m very grateful to you. I don’t know if I would’ve let you stay in my house for so long if the roles were reserved.” Jeongyeon looks bashful, avoiding Tzuyu’s eyes as she speaks. “I’m sorry for being such an ass. You’ve shown me that not everyone in this village is what my people make you out to be.”

“Hm, you  _ have  _ been an ass,” Tzuyu smiles when Jeongyeon playfully shoves her shoulder. “But I understand why you did so. I was wary of you too at first, so it’s all good.” 

When Jeongyeon tries to put the dishes in the cupboard, she feels a pang on her ribs and hisses.

“Are you ok?” Tzuyu worries, not sure if she should touch Jeongyeon or not.

“Yeah, it’s just still a bit sore.” 

“Can I…?” Tzuyu points to Jeongyeon’s side, hesitant. Jeongyeon’s face turns red, up to the tip of her ears, but she nods and lifts her shirt. Tzuyu leans down to see her better. They changed the bandages for a smaller patch a few days ago, and now there’s the tiniest bit of blood in it. “The wound must’ve reopened, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

Tzuyu straightens her back and lets the shirt fall back into place. 

The kitchen is tiny, so they end up being very close. Their chests are almost pressed together, and Tzuyu can see from up close how Jeongyeon’s eyes scan all over her face. 

Before she realizes it, Tzuyu’s leaning in, and so is Jeongyeon. Tzuyu licks her lips in anticipation, but just as she’s about to close the gap, they hear loud noises coming from outside the house. Jeongyeon turns her head, but Tzuyu leans in and ends up kissing the corner of her mouth. Jeongyeon pulls back in surprise, her whole face flaming red. Jeongyeon is opening and closing her mouth, looking for the right words to say, when Chaeyoung and Dahyun burst into the kitchen.

“The soldiers are back! It seems they’ve reached a truce with the northern village.”

“How’d you figure all of that out just from them being back?” Tzuyu asks a bit out of breath. Dahyun quirks an eyebrow and smirks, looking between both women. Tzuyu realizes they’re standing very close, so she takes a step back and clears her throat. “So?”

“I overheard some people outside.” Dahyun shrugs, still giving Tzuyu that smirk that makes her want to punch her.

“We can go home now!” Chaeyoung runs to hug Jeongyeon, almost making her lose her balance. 

Jeongyeon smiles and hugs her sister back, but when she meets Tzuyu’s eyes over Chaeyoung’s shoulder, she can’t help but feel bittersweet. 

They leave that same morning, eager to go check on their house and their friends. Tzuyu and Dahyun walk with them up to the frontier— Dahyun and Chaeyoung walk a few steps ahead, hands brushing as they walk. Jeongyeon complains that her sister totally abandoned her in favor of a girl she barely knows, and now Tzuyu has to keep an arm around her waist to help her walk without putting too much pressure on her leg. They both know Jeongyeon doesn’t  _ really  _ mind. 

When they reach the frontier, Jeongyeon stops them to look at Tzuyu. 

“Thanks for all your help. I hope I can repay you one day.” 

“And I hope we can meet without having to hide.” 

Jeongyeon smiles nervously and looks around, making sure Chaeyoung is too preoccupied with her own goodbyes to pay attention to her.

“Well, you know that spot in the river we were at last time?” She asks tentatively.

“Yes, I remember.” 

“Would you maybe… want to meet there? Say, um, next tuesday?”

Tzuyu steals a kiss, leaving Jeongyeon an absolute speechless mess. 

“It’s a date.” 

**Author's Note:**

> i have comms open on twt (@dahyunayeon), if you're interested :]


End file.
